Its no secret that i am a big fan of Auchentoshan whisky, this triple distilled whisky from the lowland region of Scotland is what set me out on my journey into the vast world of whisky as i know it today..

Although Auchentoshan might not have been my first dram or even within my first impressions of whisky it was the whisky that made me actually enjoy drinking it. Auchentoshan select, the simple supermarket entry level whisky that sold for less than £20 a bottle was so delightful, so easy to drink and made a bloody great tall drink in those hot summer month’s. This bottle grabbed my attention and when it was replaced by the Auchentoshan classic it felt like my love affair with the distillery might be about to end.. Luckily for me the classic was very similar in style and showcased those traits the select had offered, my faith was once again reinstated..

These days my admiration for the brand is still going strong, the core of the distillery still has a place in my heart and even with the cocktail push the distillery seems adamant to push the whisky can still be world beating..

Today after searching for some time i have managed to track down one of the older official releases that was missing from my collection, thats right i have managed to get hold of the 1975 Bourbon Cask matured whisky with a whopping 35 year old age statement to boot.. Happy Days…

This is the oldest Auchentoshan i will have had the pleasure of trying and although the two 40+ bottlings are on my Radar they are sadly well beyond my budget so this 35 year old might remain the oldest for quite some time….

1975 – 35 year old Auchentoshan

Distillery.. Auchentoshan

Region.. Lowlands

Age.. 35 years

Distilled.. 7th May -1975

Bottled.. 8th March – 2011

Abv.. 46.9%

Outturn.. 500

Nose.. Madagascan vanilla softly mingles with dates, chocolate and toffee.. Add some werthers original sweets, brandy snap and those toshan citrus and nut aromas…

Palate.. Sticky toffee pudding quickly followed with a rich lemon drizzle cake, peanut brittle and coffee to wash it all down… Honey, lots of honey, cinnamon buns, orchard fruits and waffles drowned in maple syrup..

Finish.. Spices and soft oak balanced with a raw sweetness

Thoughts.. I want to tell you this is so Elegant, its seductive and sophisticated but it is so much more than that.. This is almost faultless in its approach, the nose is on a level that if you could only smell this then it would still be worth the price, then the palate..

The palate is just what you want it to be, its up there with the best of them, it seduces every instinct you have and even though you expect perfection which this isnt, it is pretty damn close.. The balance and depth of flavour is astounding and although you never want it to fade it does but thats what actually makes you realise what you just had the pleasure of drinking was liquid gold!!!!